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Josh Frydenberg: 'Moral case' to proceed with coal mine

The Resources Minister tells ABC Insiders there is a 'moral imperative' to push ahead with the Adani coal mine. Courtesy ABC News 24.

"Now it is enough. They cannot continue to challenge the project. They cannot go for judicial review all the time. In OECD countries, you are not given approvals with closed eyes," Mr Adani told Indian media.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international forum of 34 countries of which Australia is a member.

"They are finding some technicality to seek review; that anyone can do. Some technical mistake here and there and they go to court. That will not help the larger interest," Mr Adani said in an interview in Thiruvananthapuram on December 5.

Mr Adani said the project was "very important" from the point of view of both India and Australia.

"It's the world's largest coal reserve which will support a minimum 100 million people to have electricity and light and for 100 years," he said.

"Ultimately, a decision lies with the politicians. They have to go Parliament for enacting a special law which says that once government gives approval, no one can challenge it. That is what our request is to the Australian government. You come up with a special legislation which they have done in the past also.

Now it is enough. They cannot continue to challenge the project.

Gautum Adani

"The challenge we are facing in Australia right now is [that] on the one side government is giving all approvals and on the other side, environment activists groups are seeking judicial review and that derails the whole project."

"Even though there is no stay, because of the judicial review, no lender will finance the project. They do not know what will be the outcome," he said.

No comment

Fairfax Media put questions to Mr Turnbull's office on Tuesday about his meeting with Mr Adani.

The Prime Minister's office refused to comment on what was discussed at the meeting, or to give a response to Mr Adani's proposal, which is similar to the so-called "lawfare" amendments proposed under former prime minister Tony Abbott.

A spokesman for Mr Turnbull confirmed the pair had met last week.

Greens Deputy Leader Larissa Waters said it was "clear that this massive foreign mining company is getting very special treatment by the Turnbull government".

"Where are the opportunities for renewable energy companies to sit one-on-one with the PM for an hour?" she said.

"The economic reality that coal is dead couldn't be made clearer than through the Adani company's admission that it can't get any finance for the Carmichael project."

An Adani spokesman said the company had publicly stated for some time that certainty on government approvals was necessary for the project to proceed.

"Clearly, this proposition applies to certainty for finance. This isn't new - Adani has been saying this since earlier this year," he said.

"Challenges to detailed, thorough, independent, science-based approvals that commence immediately after earlier challenges conclude on similar fact situations plainly aren't about a respect for process - they are about ideological opposition to mining projects more broadly."

A spokeswoman for Mr Hunt said the government still planned to pursue amendments to Australia's environment laws that would restrict the ability for green and community groups to object to major developments.

"Australia has very strong environmental laws which apply to everyone, and the government will not diminish any environmental protections or the penalties for breaking them," she said.

"The government has sought to ensure that American style serial litigation is not adopted in Australia, and that once the stringent environmental requirements are met, projects should not be subject to continuing stalling litigation.

"The proposed legislative amendments, which are not project specific, are currently before the Senate and won't be considered until the Parliament resumes next year."

Cross benchers, Labor and the Greens have previously indicated they would block the amendments.